With the sea-salted air filling our lungs, the mild sunrays caressing our winter-white skin and the soothing sound of lapping waves on the hulls of the boats, we were in Hawaiian heaven.

So you can only imagine our reactions when the catamaran departed and we ventured into the wild blue ocean. Within minutes, a pod of spinner dolphins came into view. The engines were cut, and the catamaran slowed. The dolphins moved toward us in what could only be described as an act of recognition and welcome. And then, one dolphin gave us the ultimate thrill.

With slow and graceful movements, she approached the boat and circled in front of it, revealing something at her side. After a sweeping turn, she swam slowly past the boat again, this time presenting her small calf for all 12 of us to see.

"That's a real honour, to have her bring her baby to us like that," said Melissa Evans-Shontofski, a University of Pittsburgh biology graduate.

Day 2: We headed out to Kualoa Ranch on the scenic north shore of Oahu. While the south side of the island is relatively rain free and features the city atmosphere of Honolulu and Waikiki Beach, the less-populated north side attracts moisture and is home to some of the world's best surfing beaches.

Riding the well-trained horses at Kualoa Ranch gives visitors a chance to have a close-up look at the amazing vegetation, which includes papaya, coconut and mango trees, as well as fragrant plumeria blooms in shades of butter yellow and soft pink.

Day 3: We returned to Honolulu's Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort and Spa, which could be a complete vacation in and of itself. With Hawaiian music playing in the background, and waterfalls dotting the oceanfront property, we again felt like we were in Hawaiian paradise. The Hilton is a parent's dream, as kids can roam the property looking at the koi ponds, turtle pools, penguin enclaves and flamingo feeding areas for hours at a time.

Day 4: Dragging ourselves away from the comforts of this glorious hotel, we found ourselves just metres away on Waikiki Beach in the company of surf instructor Errol Kane. With extreme nervousness we had been watching the two-metre high waves about 200 metres out into the ocean. After instruction on how to hop up on our boards and balance our weight, Logan and I paddled out to sea, each perched precariously atop a heavy, cumbersome surf board.

We were petrified. I watched fearfully as Errol took my one-and-only son further out into the ocean. I shuddered as Errol propelled Logan's board onto a large wave. My boy disappeared out of sight, then I saw him pop up on his board, then he stood . . . he was surfing, he was surfing.

Days 5 & 6: Our Waikiki time continued in a series of blissful days that involved swimming in the waves, eating shaved ice on the beach, building sand castles for hours at a time, dining on local delicacies of coconut shrimp, mango daiquiris and papaya cheesecake.

Day 7: After a week of urban bliss on Oahu, we weren't sure what to expect from the more remote Big Island (45-minute flight). However, compared to the hustle and bustle of Honolulu and Waikiki Beach, the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort was a breath of fresh air. Its open-air lobby, outdoor restaurant and minimalist decor brought us to a state of peace almost instantly.

Day 8: The next day brought another sailing adventure, this time out to a black-sand beach made of tiny grains of lava. After sailing for about 30 minutes, our large catamaran tucked into a quiet bay, allowing us the freedom to snorkel to the unique beach that felt like it was made of poppy seeds.

The black beach quickly turned into green coral as it reached further into the ocean.

Day 9: The next day took us to the Hilton Waikoloa Village -- a spectacular resort that is more akin to Disneyland than to a hotel. The oceanfront resort features too many swimming pools to count, a swim-with-the-dolphins facility, two waterslide areas, a snorkelling lagoon, two championship golf courses, a $7-million art collection and trams and canal boats to get you around.

Day 10: The second part of our Big Island adventure took us to the rainy side, where the atmosphere is rather bleak, but the geology makes up for it. The Big Island hosts 11 of the world's 13 climate zones (the only ones not found here are desert and arctic) -- this offers families all kinds of learning opportunities.

Day 11: Tour guides from Arnott's Lodge and Hiking Adventures took us onto Kilauea, close enough to see where lava had spared a house by just metres. As the evening drew near, we walked over several hundred metres of lava fields to an ocean-side spot about one kilometre from the point where Kilauea's lava runs into the Pacific Ocean. With about 100 visitors around us, we sat on the hard lava, waiting for a first-hand glimpse of volcanic activity.

Shortly after, a glow of orange light flashed in the distance and plumes of smoke rose in the air. The crowd grew quiet, and then erupted into "oohs" and "ahs" as red lava danced in front of us.

Day 12: Two days at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park still wasn't enough. The park plays host to active steam vents, lava tubes, craters and an interpretive centre. At a weekly cost of just $10 per vehicle, and $5 per individual, the park is an inexpensive way to spend family time together while giving children a first-hand geology lesson they'll never forget.

Days 13 & 14: As our Hawaiian journey drew to a close, we returned to Honolulu to soak up more sun, shop and swim. Two weeks in paradise simply wasn't enough. Now I know why Hawaii has over 10 million tourists annually -- everyone keeps coming back for more.